Anise hyssop ice cream

Chef Larry Forgione
The Culinary Institute of America at Greystone, St. Helena

Anise hyssop, a perennial in the mint family, adds a refreshing flavor to vanilla ice cream. Substitutions include mint, sweet marigold, lemon verbena and lemon balm.

Ingredients

4 cups heavy cream
1 1/2 cups milk
1 cup sugar
1/2 vanilla bean, split lengthwise, seeds removed
1/2 cup chopped anise hyssop leaves
12 large egg yolks

Directions

Combine cream, milk, sugar and vanilla seeds in a 3-quart saucepan and bring to a slow boil over medium-high heat. Add hyssop leaves, lower heat and allow to steep 15 minutes or so.

Whisk egg yolks in a stainless steel bowl. Slowly whisk in 2 cups of the cream mixture to temper the yolks, then slowly stir yolks into the cream remaining in the saucepan. Cook while stirring over medium-low heat 5 minutes or until temperature reaches 180 degrees (thick enough to coat the back of a spoon). Immediately remove from heat and strain through a fine sieve. Cool and churn in an ice-cream maker.

Makes 2 quarts